Argon-39 decays to become Potassium-39. write the nuclear equation.
argon has 18 protons, and potassium has 19
So what if a neutron in Argon became a proton?
18Ar39>>>19K39+e-
Is this called beta decay?
To write the nuclear equation for the decay of Argon-39 to Potassium-39, we need to consider the conservation of both atomic number (proton number) and mass number (protons + neutrons). Here's how you can write the nuclear equation:
Step 1: Determine the atomic and mass numbers of the elements involved.
- Argon-39 has an atomic number of 18 and a mass number of 39.
- Potassium-39 has an atomic number of 19 and a mass number of 39.
Step 2: Identify the type of decay.
- Since Argon-39 decays to Potassium-39, which has an atomic number one unit higher, this suggests that beta-minus decay is taking place.
Step 3: Write the nuclear equation.
- In beta-minus decay, a neutron in the nucleus is converted into a proton, and an electron (beta particle) is emitted. The atomic number increases by one, while the mass number remains the same.
- For the given decay, the complete nuclear equation will be:
Argon-39 --> Potassium-39 + electron
or
39 Ar --> 39 K + e^-
So, the nuclear equation for the decay of Argon-39 to Potassium-39 is:
39 Ar --> 39 K + e^-